Melissa Mc Allister

New York-based swimwear designer Elizabeth Arthur will be showcasing her latest line at Tobago Fashion Coda 2018 at the Magdelena Grand Resort on April 26. Arthur who hails from Scarborough, Tobago would be showing off 12 pieces.

She gave the Guardian a taste of her swimwear over the weekend when Tobagonian model Karielle Ramsden donned three pieces from a special collection that Arthur did for the Los Angeles Fashion Week. Arthur said she does swimwear for the high-end market and also caters to plus-size clients.

Arthur, 42, made the move to the United States in 1993 and began her career in 2003 at Weight Clothing, a men’s collection founded by her brother. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Empire State College and started the Maia Venae t-shirt collection. In 2013, she founded Kimimi LLC. Arthur designs Kimimi swimsuits with the objective of showcasing the beauty in all women. Her collection of one-piece bathing suits, bikinis and monokinis are inspired by the by the movements and wing patterns of butterflies.

Arthur said, like the butterfly, the mission of her swimwear collection is to generate a metamorphosis whereby a woman slips into her swimsuit and sheds the confines of her regular attire and everyday life. Arthur said swimwear allows a woman the freedom to reveal new facets of herself while embracing the extraordinary.

Arthur said she plans to become involved in projects that aim to inspire and assist women. One of her deepest desires is to prove by example that women should never give up on what they want to accomplish, despite hardships and challenges. Instead, Arthur hopes that she can teach people that those challenges and dark places should be seen as a cocoon, where one grows, gains strength and struggles to emerge transformed like the butterfly that inspires her.

The sixth offering of Tobago Fashion Coda would also feature local designers Ecliff Elie and Dale Angus and two designers from Europe, as well as local artistes, including KI, Five Star Akeil, Adanna and SuperBlue.